OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE !!!
STAR-SPANGLED SPECTACULAR
Tom Hyland - © 9-14-14
Last night my Lady Pat and I watched this Special
and, quite frankly, we were Disappointed.
For a 200th Year Special much was to be Desired.
Why was John Lithgow chosen to be the M.C.?
Was there No Hollywood Star from Baltimore Available?
Perhaps someone more Personable?
Why weren’t more Details given about the Importance
of Other places, like:
Rodgers’ Bastion on Hampstead Hill in Patterson Park,
The Battle of North Point,
The Battle of New Orleans ...
While The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra,
and Other Performers did excellent Jobs,
Several of the Musical Selections Made No Sense ...
Having Nothing to do with the War,
Nor Nationalism ...
Why Were Some Special Songs Missing?
“Yankee Doodle Dandy”
“The Battle of New Orleans”
“When Johnny Comes Marching Home”
“Battle Hymn of The Republic”
Am I being Over-Critical?
Maybe ... Maybe Not?
Oh, One Final Complaint ...
While Waiting for the Maryland Public Television PBS Broadcast
I kept Changing Channels ... Searching for Anything
About this National Pride Extravaganza ...
All Three LOCAL Baltimore Channels ...
WMAR-TV ... WBAL-TV ... WJZ-TV ...
Each & Every One of Them ...
Was Televising a Damned Football Game!
BI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION ...
200TH YEAR ...
ONCE IN A LIFETIME!
Being Held Right Here in Baltimore ...
DIDN’T THE STATION MANAGERS ...
GET THE MEMO?
DUH ???
© - TKH.
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I did find an account on the History Channel (I believe, my short-term memory of these things is not very good) that described Francis Scott Key's mission as a negotiator in a major prisoner exchange between the United States and Britain that was very intriguing and shed a whole new light on the occasion and the song. And, the fact that it wasn't until 1931 that Congress officially made The Star-Spangled Banner the official anthem of the United States of America. The song actually was Francis Scott Key's way of conveying a story, an article, or poem, from his experience as an observer reporting to the prisoners below decks, in the form of a song. The chained prisoners below kept yelling out to Key on the deck, "Is our flag still there?"
Key would respond by yelling back down. "It's still there!"
The more I study history with the help of these fine programs, the better I understand how people really performed during these critical historical moments. Something the brief mention in school history books could never tell us. It's both exciting and educational to hear about their lives and accomplishments.
Ron
Love ya!
Jane